Saturday, August 30, 2008

Boardwalk Shoes

What every Florida woman should have..............







My friend Leslie and I got a kick out of this :)

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Cousins

Anytime Max and Jack get a chance to spend time with their cousins, they have a blast---No Butts About It!! :)





Men in Uniform

I just had to post these pics so my mom could see the boys on the first day of preschool in their little uniforms.































Sunday, August 24, 2008

The Dale Rocks!!

I just want to say that I love my church!! I am so thankful that the Lord has blessed us with such an amazing group of people to serve Him with. We had over 550 people today worshipping the Lord together at our Hallandale Beach Campus!! WOO HOO!! We had an amazing morning. As the cars began to overflow our parking lot (Don't worry-- we will have a new parking strategy in place by next weekend), instead of seeing volunteers stressed and complaining because they were having to risk their lives jumping in front of cars in order to flag them down and tell them where they could find a parking spot, they were high fiving each other with tears in their eyes. That is what I am talking about! And that's exactly where I want to be on Sunday mornings. I want to be at "The Dale" where volunteers are crying because they are so excited that their campus is overflowing with people who are going to experience life change. I've never been around such a crazy bunch of people who are excited to be completely stressed out because God is moving way faster than our human minds and bodies keep up with.

In the words of Pastor Alejandro, "We are kicking Satan in the Butt!" Couldn't have said it better myself.

To all our Hallandale Peeps: You should be proud of yourselves today. You gave it your all; God was glorified; lives were changed; and our Savior's name was made greater in this city because you poured yourselves out for our Lord. Chris and I love you all and are honored to serve our Lord alongside you.

Here are some pics of just a few of those who experienced life change today.






























Friday, August 22, 2008

Melanie's blog

Just wanted to update those of you who have been praying for my sister, Melanie and her family that she has started blogging again. You can read more about baby Drew and what they are going through here. Thank you again for your prayers.

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Tropical Storm coming!................grab the kite!

The best family activity during a tropical storm?? KITE FLYING. Holy Cow, we had a blast-- it is like kite flying on steroids down here............

Well, Chris and I had a blast at least. The boys enjoyed hanging out on top of the car--we had them covering the tornado watch tower :).

Saturday, August 16, 2008

Family Pics

Here are a few pics of the boys loving on their baby sister. Can you believe Max actually rocked Annie to sleep for me today? (Of course, he was surrounded with every pillow we own :). He did a great job. He is so sweet to his sister-- I hope it lasts.




















I can't believe Annie is already 6 weeks old. She is starting to settle into a more predictable routine that works pretty well for our family. With Annie adapting to a schedule and the boys getting into a routine with school starting tomorrow--I am starting to see a glimmer of hope on the horizon. Who knows--maybe I'll be able to shave my legs this week :).

Thank you


Thank you to everyone who has emailed me or commented with words of encouragement and the promise of your prayers for Jeff, Melanie, and the rest of the family. Our family has been so blessed by each one of you. Please continue to pray for healing for Jeff and Melanie.



Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Baby Drew

I have done a terrible job with posting this past week, but it has been because I don't know what to write. To put into words what has gone on in the past week with my sister and her family is impossible, and to ignore it and write about anything else just seems wrong. When death hits your family, everything else in this life seems so trivial. My sister, Melanie, who is also my very best friend, and her husband, Jeff, lost their precious baby boy this past week. Melanie was 32 weeks pregnant with baby Andrew when he passed away. He was stillborn on August 6th. Baby Drew was beautiful. He looked perfect and just like his brothers. He is a Robinson for sure.

One verse that has been of comfort to us all is Matt 6:21--"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." We have realized that this verse is not just talking about money. We have learned as a family who has suffered great loss through the death of our father and now baby drew that with each loss here on this earth, our treasure in heaven increases. Baby Drew and my father are great treasures to this family---and our hearts are with them. The more loss we have here on this earth, the more our hearts our fixed on heaven and eternity.

Jeff and Mel, we love you guys. We hurt and grieve with you daily. We miss you. We miss baby Drew. We long for the day when we will see your precious baby fill your arms again.

Thank you to all of you who have kept Jeff and Melanie and the rest of our family in your prayers. I know and believe that in time God will do a great work of healing in their lives.

Monday, August 4, 2008

Our Dream Date!

A few days ago our dear friend, Gloria, and her kids took the boys for a day at the pool, which meant a day for Chris and I to just chill. We quickly decided to take Annie with us and head to the mall for a little shopping. What an adventure that turned out to be. I am so thankful I don't get nearly as flustered when things do not go as planned as I did when Max was a baby. I would have lost my mind by now, if the Lord didn't teach me to chill out and just laugh.

So here's how our trip went: First, let me back up and say to the ladies who read this: NEVER, NEVER, NEVER go shopping in hopes of trying anything on two weeks after you deliver a baby. I mean, what in the world was I thinking? Seriously, just stick to buying accessories. OK, so Chris and I are in Express and we are checking out- he is getting a shirt, and I am getting a bag (a very smart purchase-- the bag is a huge accessory--one that you can hold behind you to cover your backside, or in front to cover your stomach. It fit me just perfectly:). As I hand the cashier our purchases, I hear Annie EXPLODE --I mean she blew up (Chris is cradling her in his arms at this time and just gives me the wide-eyed, "did that just come from her?" stare). As I am trying to politely refuse the cashier's "open a store credit card" plea, I notice out of the corner of my eye that poop is literally dripping from Annie onto Chris' toes (and yes, he had on flip flops :) and all over the floor. Chris had no idea - until he took his first step. It was so funny!! You should have seen Chris trying to walk out of the store nonchalantly like he had everything under control, while trying to walk on his heels only and hold Annie as far away from him as his arms would reach. It was hilarious..... I was crying from laughing so hard :) We cleaned Annie (and the floor) up and promised each other that we were going to forget the whole "3 second rule" for food that drops on the floor in a public place with Max and Jack. We figured we are probably not the only parents whose kid's bodily waste has dripped on the floor.

Our next stop was Gap. As we were in the dressing room, The PA systems comes on and announces very calmly, "There has been a imposing threat to the mall, please proceed as quickly as possible and in an orderly fashion to your nearest exit." Chris looks at me and says, "We gotta go, it could be a bomb." You have got to be kidding me -- I just actually tried on a shirt and a pair of pants that actually fit and hid my tummy, and now I have to leave them here because we are about to be bombed. Here is our conversation that followed:

Chris: (as I am scrambling to get my own clothes back on): "I would send you with Annie, but since you're not dressed, I am going to take her. Meet me at the car."


ME: "OK, Sure Babe, I will probably die in here; but that's cool, I will take one for the team. Go ahead."


Chris: (as he is grabbing the car keys and the diaper bag) "This could be our last good bye. I love you."


Me: (Laughing and thinking to myself--Man, that was just like Kate and the Titanic dude's final good bye). "I love you too."


As I finished dressing and ran out the dressing room, (with my new shirt and pants, of course. I mean, if the place is about to be bombed, they will probably just let me take them, right? At least I will own something that fits that Chris could bury me in.) I quickly noticed that everyone seemed way to calm to be thinking danger was imminent. I ran straight to the cashier and asked where the nearest exit was located and if she could hold my clothes until the threat was cleared. She bursts out laughing and says, "Oh, Mam, that was just a drill. There is no real threat."

WHAT? JUST A DRILL? In the mall, full of people- you are going to announce over the PA to evacuate, and never come back on to tell us it is just a drill? Who does that? Explain this to me, please. Isn't that like saying Hijack on an airplane?


OK well, at least Chris and I will get another chance at our final good bye. We laughed later about how pathetic it was. Maybe I will get a Titanic type good bye (Not the freezing and drowning, just the romance part) after all.

How crazy is that for our first outing together with Annie? All in all, we had a great time and laughed really hard. Thank you, Gloria, for taking the boys for the day. We love you and are so thankful to know that our boys are safe and having a blast when they are with you guys. It was a much needed break and I thank the Lord for the down time with Chris-- poop and bomb threats in all.